Mental health: Filipino workers suffer the most burnout, followed by Singaporeans

SINGAPORE: A study of burnout among working adults in several Southeast Asian countries showed that while the Philippines (70.71%) had the highest prevalence of employee burnout, including depression, anxiety, and stress, Malaysia had the lowest (58.13%).

The burnout prevalence rate in Singapore, meanwhile, was at 66.84%. Moreover, Singapore also had the highest prevalence of burnout among healthcare workers, at 39.0%.

The study showed that working more than 50 hours each week and extreme dissatisfaction contributed to higher burnout rates.

Mental health in Singapore

Last year, another study looked into the number of adults in Singapore who experience mild depressive or anxiety symptoms. The Quality of Life study by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) showed that just over one in four, or 26%, of adults in Singapore said they experience these symptoms. However, 19% reported experiencing moderate symptoms, and 7% said they experienced severe symptoms.

Among younger Singaporeans, those aged between 15 and 24, the prevalence of depression and anxiety is even higher.

Last year’s National Youth Mental Health Study showed that the overall prevalence of 14.9% of severe and extremely severe symptoms of depression. Meanwhile, the prevalence of severe and extremely severe symptoms of anxiety among youths in Singapore was shown to be at 27%.

Women (28.9%) had a higher prevalence of depression than men (25%).

Individuals who suffered from severe and extremely severe depression symptoms were between the ages of 20 and 24 (20.9%). They were also unemployed (29.7%), had a technical diploma (25.9%), were of Malay ethnicity (23.3%), and earned less than S$5,000 (19.4%).

Notably, young people in the NEET category (NEET: Not in Education, Employment, or Training) had the highest prevalence of severe and extremely severe symptoms of depression (29.8%) and anxiety (38.4%).

“Body shape concerns, daily smoking, and self-esteem were significantly associated with severe and extremely severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. The high prevalence of severe and extremely severe levels of depression and anxiety highlights the need for comprehensive and accessible mental health services tailored to the unique challenges faced by youths,” the study said.

In 2021, the Ministry of Health said that around 49,800 Singapore residents received treatment for mental health issues each year from 2016 to 2019. /TISG

Read also: Experts link rise in suicides among Singaporeans in their 30s to job insecurity, family pressures, and mental health stress